This invention relates to apparatus for removing a stopper from a bottle, and more particularly, to apparatus in which a stopper-gripping member is caused to be drawn away from the mouth of a bottle to withdraw the stopper mechanically. The invention relates to apparatus for the above purpose in which a bare minimum number of simple, inexpensive and readily manufactured and assembled parts interact to reliably perform the desired function.
Numerous devices have heretofore been proposed for removing stoppers from bottles. By way of example:
U.S. Pat. No. 474,480 issued to Mumford on May 10, 1892 discloses an apparatus in which a pair of prongs is inserted between the cork and the bottle. Turning the handle of the apparatus causes the prongs to move toward each other, thus gripping the cork so that it may be pulled out of the bottle. The movement of the prongs toward each other is effectuated by a rack associated with each prong and a pinion gear which is turned by the handle of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,596,960, issued to Becchetti on Aug. 24, 1926, a tubular member has internal and external screw threads matingly related to one another. The tubular member is attached to a handle and the outer threads threadably engage a bell-shaped member adapted to engage the upper rim of the bottle. The internal threads threadably engage a pair of arms, each of which terminates in a cork-gripping blade adapted to fit between the interior surface of the bottle neck and the cork. As the handle is rotated, the bell-shaped member moves away from the handle to engage the bottle rim while the arms are moved away from the bottle and are gradually brought closer to one another, thereby securing their grip on the cork.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,338, issued to Hector-Anthyme Hardy on Sept. 4, 1956, an inner stirrup engages a cork and an outer stirrup engages the upper rim of the bottle. A handle with a screw-threaded bore threadably engages complementary screw threads on a shaft which extends through a bore in the outer stirrup and is secured to the inner stirrup. The handle is adapted to rotatably grip the outer stirrup, and as the handle is turned, the shaft is moved away from the bottle to extract the cork.